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Queen of Cowichan
Overview
Official No:
0370065
Place Built:
Victoria
Builder:
Yarrows Ltd.
Year Built:
1976
Vehicle Capacity:
362
Passenger Capacity:
1,466
Crew:
34
Overall Length:
139.29 m
Breadth:
27.13 m
Gross Tons:
6,551.18
Service Speed:
22 knots
Horsepower:
11,860
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Up until the spring of 2008, the
Queen of Cowichan
was the main Route 2 (Horseshoe Bay - Departure Bay) vessel based out of Nanaimo. In March she was replaced by the new
Coastal Renaissance
and at least temporarily shuffled into "spare ship" status. The
Cowichan
is a C-class vessel with one almost identical sister, the
Queen of Coquitlam
and three others which share the same hull design: the
Queen of Alberni
,
Queen of Oak Bay
, and
Queen of Surrey
. On board the ferry features a cafeteria, snack bar, gift shop, arcade, children's play area, elevators, and plenty of open and sheltered outside deck space. The
Queen of Cowichan
is a double-ender ferry and loads cars from two levels. The lower car level also includes additional "gallery decks" on either side.
History
Launched in early 1976, the
Queen of Cowichan
was the second of the 5 C-class ferries built over 6 years for BC Ferries. At the time, these "superferries" provided a modern improvement to ferry travellers and a needed increase in fleetwide capacity. Built at a cost of just under $20 million, the C-class ferries were initially placed on the Tsawwassen - Swartz Bay route. However, most of the
Cowichan's
service life has been on the Horseshoe Bay - Nanaimo and Horseshoe Bay - Langdale (Sunshine Coast) routes. In late 2003 and early 2004, the
Queen of Cowichan
received and extensive $34 million midlife refit at Vancouver Shipyards. In addition to engine work and steel replacement, the ferry acquired a new evacuation system and a complete overhaul of passenger accommodations.
Timeline
1975
- October - Keel laid at Yarrows Shipyard in Victoria.
1976
- February -
Queen of Cowichan
is launched.
1985
- August 12 - The
Queen of Cowichan
collided with a small pleasure craft near Horseshoe Bay. Three people on the smaller vessel were killed.
1995
- September 21 - An accident resulting in some injuries occurred on the
Queen of Cowichan's
escalators as she neared Langdale ferry terminal. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) issued a report on the incident:
Report Number M95W0145
.
The accident was significant as it resulted in the
Cowichan
being transferred to the Horseshoe Bay - Departure Bay route where disembarking passengers would not be required to use the escalators. The escalators were later removed.
2001
- September 6 - The crew on board the
Queen of Cowichan
rescued two boaters whose boat had caught fire in Georgia Strait.
2003-2004
- Winter - Spring - The
Queen of Cowichan
was the second of the 5 C-class vessels to undergo an extensive $34 million mid-life refit with the objective of extending her service life for an additional 20 years.
Origin of Name
Queen of Cowichan
- Named after the bay, river, lake, valley, or region of Cowichan on Vancouver Island. There is also a Cowichan First Nation and a city of North Cowichan in the same area. The Cowichan Valley is an important agricultrual area on the Island and also provides excellent opportunities for fishing, logging, and tourism. The towns of Duncan, Lake Cowichan, and Chemainus are the main population centers in the region. Cowichan Lake is the second largest lake on Vancouver Island. The Cowichan First Nation is the largest First Nation group in British Columbia. The name comes from the Native word "Quw'utsum', which means "warmed by the sun". ("Cowichan First Nation, Cowichan River" -
Encyclopedia of British Columbia
)
For Further Reading
Bannerman, Gary and Patricia.
The Ships of British Columbia
. Surrey: Hancock House Publishers, 1985.
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